True Crime Vault: Deadly Vows

Summary

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20/20 True Crime Vault: Deadly Vows

ABC News | August 4, 2026

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Episode Overview

This gripping episode of 20/20’s True Crime Vault, "Deadly Vows", explores the chilling case of Katrina Smith, a beloved wife, stepmother, and community member from Rockford, Illinois, who vanished in October 2012. What began as a missing person’s investigation spiraled into a tale of betrayal, hidden secrets, and ultimately, murder—drawing in her husband Todd Smith, a marriage on the brink, and the unraveling of a man with a deeply troubled past. Through in-depth interviews with family, friends, law enforcement, legal experts, and witnesses, the episode guides listeners through the investigation, emotional fallout, and the eventual trial and conviction that rocked an entire community.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Katrina’s Disappearance: The Early Days

• The Missing Persons Report: Katrina goes missing after telling her husband she's running errands. Family describes the panic and disbelief that sets in almost immediately ([03:32–04:18]).
  • “My stomach sank because that’s not my sister.” – Katrina’s Sister [03:32]
• Community Mobilizes: Flyers, massive volunteer searches in parks and woods; the ordeal captures the hearts of Rockford ([14:39–16:56]).
  • “We’ll be here every day from morning till night and we’re going to continue to do that until she’s found.” – Friend or Family Member [15:01]
• Initial Focus on Suspicious Behavior: Early suspicion on an alleged teenage stalker; mysterious flyers with accusations about Katrina appear in her workplace parking lot ([01:27–02:12], [22:22–24:53]).

2. The Secrets Beneath: Unraveling Katrina’s Life

• Public Image vs. Reality: Katrina is described as happily married; evidence later suggests she wanted a divorce and was planning to leave Todd, her husband ([08:02–11:09], [36:04–36:32]).
  • “I already told him before I wanted a divorce. Appointment with attorney next Monday.” – Katrina in a text to Guy Gabriel, shared by police [35:32]
• Affair with a Coworker: Katrina’s cell phone exposes a secret relationship with Guy Gabriel, who had a troubled past but is eventually cleared through a solid alibi ([25:02–35:05]).
• Warnings Missed: Katrina expressed fear she was being stalked or tracked, sought advice about getting a gun, and appeared frightened during visits to her cellphone provider ([31:42–32:35]).

3. Red Herrings & Revelations

• Elimination of Early Suspects: The teen stalker is cleared via college alibi; attention pivots back to Katrina's close relationships and marital strain ([24:09–24:53]).
• Shocking Discoveries: Inconsistencies and possible deception in Todd’s statements about their marriage and Katrina’s whereabouts ([36:25–36:28]).

4. Evidence Trail & Making the Case

• Physical Evidence:
  • Katrina’s car, purse, and bloody towels found scattered—described as “breadcrumbs” left by the perpetrator ([13:06–13:17], [18:41–22:07]).
  • GPS data from Todd’s computer reveals tracking software used on Katrina’s car—eventually becomes the “smoking gun” ([67:26–72:53]).
  • Discovery of an aluminum baseball bat in Todd’s garage with Katrina’s blood ([67:38–68:21]).
• Surveillance Footage: Video captures a hooded figure walking near the area where Katrina’s car and evidence were found; the route is very close to Todd’s home ([64:25–66:48]).
• Todd’s Background Uncovered: A past marred by fraud allegations, a previous identity (Todd Raprager), childhood arson, and suspected domestic violence against his first wife ([52:03–61:25]).
  • “He used to have a different name. He was a Raprager.” – Lead Detective [52:11]
  • “I know he was gonna break my neck.” – Teresa, Todd’s first wife, on surviving an assault [60:58-61:25]

5. Discovery and Autopsy

• Finding Katrina: Her body is recovered in the Rock River, a heartbreaking closure for the family ([45:01–46:52]).
  • “There was some sense of relief in a way... But obviously, it's the news you absolutely don’t want to hear.” – Katrina’s Sister [46:52]
• Cause of Death: The autopsy confirms death by blunt force trauma, consistent with the aluminum bat ([47:17]).

6. Justice in Court: The Trial of Todd Smith

• The Prosecution’s Case: Circumstantial but bolstered by technology—GPS logs matching Todd’s movements to evidence found, Katrina’s wish for divorce, and the baseball bat ([73:25–75:25]).
  • “Till death do us part, a vowel Katrina Smith spoke when she married the defendant. And that vow would prove to be a deadly vowel for Katrina Smith.” – Prosecutor [74:17]
• The Defense’s Counter: Claims a rush to judgment, questions investigation, tries to shift suspicion to Guy Gabriel who has a past violence charge, but is once again cleared by airtight alibi ([76:09–77:32]).
  • “This is a case that is completely built on a shaky foundation of rumors and speculation.” – Defense Attorney [76:09]
• Dramatic Courtroom Moment: Prosecutor swings a bat for the jury, demonstrating the violence of Katrina’s murder ([78:08–78:24]).

7. Verdict and Aftermath

• Guilty on All Counts: Todd is convicted of first-degree murder and concealment of a homicidal death ([79:26–80:08]).
  • “We the jury find the defendant Todd’s guilty of first degree murder.” – Family Member [79:40]
• Sentencing: 55 years for murder, plus 4 for concealment; parole not eligible until 2069 ([81:31–84:04]).
  • “He definitely doesn’t deserve to see the light of day ever again.” – Katrina’s Sister [81:42]
• Victims' Voices: Impact statements from Katrina’s family and from her devastated stepchildren ([80:27–80:49]).
• Todd’s Statement: Maintains innocence; expresses no ill will ([80:55–81:08]).
• Collateral Damage: Ongoing pain for both Katrina’s and Todd’s families, lingering questions if Katrina’s fate could have been prevented ([82:34–83:12]).
  • “Just her pain is my pain.” – Friend or Family Member Jason [83:18]

8. Legacy

• Remembering Katrina: Family and friends emphasize her kindness, generosity, and the joy she brought others ([83:30–83:57]).
  • “I want people to remember who she was as a person and how full of life she was.” – Katrina’s Sister [83:30]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote & Attribution | |-------------|---------------------| | 03:32 | “My stomach sank because that’s not my sister.” – Katrina’s Sister | | 16:12 | “They were there to try to find Katrina. It wasn’t like they were paid… We wanted to solve the mystery.” – Katrina’s Family Member | | 28:20 | “It opened up like Pandora’s box. … Are you kidding me? She’s having an affair with a guy. It was kind of a bombshell moment.” – Detective John | | 35:32 | “I already told him before I wanted a divorce. Appointment with attorney next Monday.” – Katrina to Guy Gabriel (text) | | 52:11 | “He used to have a different name. He was a Raprager. That was his last name.” – Lead Detective | | 60:58 | “I know he was gonna break my neck.” – Teresa, Todd’s first wife | | 72:47 | “The tracking device did not lie. It’s computer data.” – Prosecutor or Investigator | | 74:17 | “Till death do us part, a vowel Katrina Smith spoke when she married the defendant. And that vow would prove to be a deadly vowel for Katrina Smith.” – Prosecutor | | 79:40 | “We the jury find the defendant Todd’s guilty of first degree murder.” – Family Member (reading verdict) | | 80:27 | “All you had to do was walk away and let Katrina live the life she deserved. But out of greed and jealousy and rage, you chose to take her precious life.” – Katrina’s Family Member during victim impact statement | | 83:30 | “I don’t want people to remember Katrina just by how she died… I want people to remember who she was as a person and how full of life she was.” – Katrina’s Sister |

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Highlighted Timestamps & Important Segments

• [01:00–02:12]: Katrina is declared missing; early speculation about her disappearance.
• [11:00–14:00]: Shocking clues found (car, love letter, items discarded).
• [32:35–35:05]: Katrina’s mounting fear, plans for protection, and newly emerged secrets.
• [44:30–47:17]: Recovery of Katrina’s body in the Rock River, turning the case into murder.
• [52:03–61:25]: Deep dive into Todd Smith’s troubled past, previous violent allegations.
• [67:26–72:53]: Breakthrough: GPS tracking software as key evidence.
• [73:25–77:32]: Dramatic courtroom showdown, prosecution and defense strategies.
• [79:26–80:08]: Guilty verdict delivered; emotional reactions.
• [81:31–84:04]: Sentencing and reflections on justice and loss.

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Conclusion & Lasting Impact

"Deadly Vows" unearths the layers of deception, community trust, and personal anguish at the heart of Katrina Smith’s murder. Through compelling, unflinching storytelling, 20/20 underscores the devastating ripple effects of domestic violence, the persistence of investigators, and the deep heartbreak felt by loved ones left behind. Katrina is remembered not as a victim, but as a vibrant, loving person whose loss continues to resonate far beyond her community.

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Transcript

[Podcast Host]

This show is sponsored by Murder in the Heartland, a podcast from I D. Murder in the Heartland explores real crimes across small town America. Towns that might look a lot like your own. Every week, uncover shocking stories of murder and betrayal. From a suspicious hunting accident to a college student who disappears after her shift at the local bar. Hear from investigators, witnesses and family members as they share the chilling details behind each case. If you're interested in true crime with a small town twist, you might love this podcast. Listen to Murder in the Heartland wherever you get your podcasts.

[Narrator]

This is the 2020 True Crime Vault. A wife goes missing.

[Detective John]

Is her stalker responsible? 2020 starts right now.

[Narrator]

You look into that bright open face of hers and you think, how could she be hiding so many secrets?

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

There was a lot of pictures all over Rockford of a Katrina Smith that was missing.

[Detective John]

Seconds count, minutes count. And so we were doing everything we possibly could to try to find her.

[Friend or Family Member]

Maybe Katrine is hiding. Maybe she doesn't want to be found.

[Detective John]

It's been horrible. I said I'd be back later and that's the last we heard of her.

[Katrina's Sister]

You can't even believe that you're going to a park or a wooded area to like search for your sisters body potentially. And it's like we wanted to find her, but you don't want to find her either.

[Detective John]

Katrina Smith had reported that someone was stalking her.

[Community Member or Investigator]

There was a teenager who had some sort of an unhealthy infatuation with her.

[Narrator]

Katrina's boss comes into the detective bureau and says something bizarre happened in this parking lot.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Bizarre barely covers it. Some guy throwing flyers out of the car containing some real, really outrageous accusations against Katrina. Where does that piece of the puzzle fit in?

[Detective John]

We knocked on every door, we went through almost every backyard looking for evidence.

[Narrator]

And so what did you discover?

[Detective John]

Like somebody sprinkling breadcrumbs, like a trail. Why are you throwing them in these odd places where they can likely be found?

[Narrator]

Is somebody playing a game of cat and mouse? Is Katrina herself leaving clues? Nobody knows, but everybody terrified. It's an otherwise ordinary Friday in October of 2012. A missing person call comes in. Sheriff's communications. Can I help you?

[Detective John]

Yes, my wife is house sitting for somebody who's out of town. And you haven't been able to reach your friend?

[Narrator]

You haven't been able to reach your wife?

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

Right.

[Narrator]

What's your wife's name?

[Detective John]

Katrina.

[Narrator]

How unusual is it to get this kind of call?

[Detective John]

It's common to have missing person cases come in. I guess the reason I'm concerned is her work Called me and said that she didn't show up. So not really something she would do.

[Narrator]

Even though missing person cases are common, the families involved are pretty traumatized, I would imagine.

[Detective John]

Families are always very traumatized when a family member, loved one, goes missing.

[Katrina's Sister]

My phone rang and it was Todd. He said, hey, have you talked to Katrina? Said, no, why? And he said, well, she didn't show up for work today. And immediately my stomach sank because that's not my sister.

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

My daughter Miranda called me and said, katrina's missing. I was hysterical. I thought, oh my God, what do you mean she's missing? Katrina was my second child, first daughter. She was just a happy girl. She really was.

[Katrina's Sister]

You know, Katrina was eight years older than me. You know, I always wanted to just grow up and be like her.

[Friend or Family Member]

Katrina liked to take care of people. She just always went out of her way to put other people first.

[Teacher or School Staff]

I know Katrina Nauluk Smith from McChesney Park High School. She was a student of mine her senior year in the year 2000. We did the yearbook together. She was my senior editor. Katrina, I thought, was really smart. She was very well driven. She was very mature for her age.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Katrina has vanished from the very place she spent most of her life. McChesney Park. It's a town that's part of the larger community of Rockford, Illinois.

[Teacher or School Staff]

Rockford is located about 100 miles from Chicago, about 20 miles south of the Wisconsin border. It's a big, small town,

[Friend or Family Member]

definitely more of a blue collar community. A lot of manufacturing, a lot of people working hard to just make a better life for themselves.

[Narrator]

Right away you notice that manufacturing history. When you come to this town, you can see so many industrial plants as you stroll along the river downtown. To locals, that's what Rockford is known for. But to outsiders, this place is usually known for something else.

[Reporter]

When a lot of people first hear about Rockford, Illinois, they think of the Rockford Peaches. It's the first a women's baseball league. Of course, A League of Their Own was based on our own Rockford Peaches.

[Narrator]

Are you crying?

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

No, there's no crying.

[Off-Duty Firefighter Ryan Bruce]

There's no crying in baseball.

[Narrator]

Even though Tom Hanks and the rest of the cast didn't film A League of Their Own in Rockford, the field where the Peaches actually played is being restored as part of a tourism push for Rockford's future. But outside that ballpark, other parts of the area have more immediate problems.

[Detective John]

It's a very high crime area

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

for

[Detective John]

cities that have less than 200,000 people. The city of Rockford always ranks in the top three for most violent cities in the entire country.

[Narrator]

So with that in mind, what questions come to mind when you meet a guy who's reporting his wife missing?

[Detective John]

The response is, why is this person missing? And why are you calling the police? You obviously think something really bad is happening. Let's have somebody start looking into this and start contacting family members and friends.

[Narrator or Investigator]

As detectives begin their investigation into this missing persons case, they wonder, well, what could have been happening in Katrina's life that would cause her to simply disappear? So the first person they wish to speak with is the man who filed that missing person's report, her husband, Todd Smith. One night, nine years earlier, Todd Smith was working as a dj, and he met Katrina, who had been out having fun with some of her friends. They hit it off immediately.

[Katrina's Sister]

He just fit in with our family pretty quickly.

[Friend or Family Member]

I thought he was a great guy. You know, he was a cool dude that I enjoyed hanging out with.

[Narrator]

Todd was quite a bit older than Katrina, 15 years, and had three daughters from a previous marriage. But it didn't seem to matter.

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

Him and the girls moved in, and that was it. She had built in family.

[Todd's Child or Family Member]

When I met Katrina, I immediately liked her. She played with me. She remembered details about things that I liked. She was really fun.

[Teacher or School Staff]

She was an extremely good stepmom to Todd's daughters. The girls really adored Katrina.

[Todd's Child or Family Member]

She brought a lot of light into our family, and I think that he liked having a whole family unit versus being a single dad.

[Katrina's Sister]

She, you know, was a second mom to them and would go to their soccer games or cheerleading events. And I know she. She loved the girls very much.

[Narrator]

They got engaged and then married. Their wedding video is full of war moments.

[Friend or Family Member]

I love you.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

You are my best friend. Today I give myself to you in marriage.

[Katrina's Sister]

I obviously remember, like, the wedding and how excited she was on her wedding day.

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

I know she was crazy about him, you know, so now you may kiss your bride.

[Friend or Family Member]

There was never a doubt that Katrina was happily married to Todd. And they were always doing stuff together, working together every day at home, you know, running a family business.

[Katrina's Sister]

I don't think Katrina ever really told me why she, you know, stopped working with Todd and went and got a job.

[Detective John]

She worked at Cameron Industries in Belvedere, and she was in the human resources department there. She was a good employee, never missed work.

[Narrator or Investigator]

But for some reason, right about the time that she disappeared, Katrina was actually looking for another job.

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

Katrina called me Saturday, October 20th. She said, I have a job interview Wednesday. She said, I'm coming over Wednesday night to talk to you about some things. And then Wednesday never came.

[Narrator]

What did she want to talk about? Turns out others in the family were getting hints, too, that something was up.

[Katrina's Sister]

I do remember around that time, Katrina had told me, like, hey, can you watch the dog for us? Like, we really need this vacation right now. Like, we really need to get away.

[Friend or Family Member]

I feel like Katrina was trying to tell me something. I got a voicemail. She was crying, and she said, you know, hey, I'm all right, but I just need to talk.

[Narrator or Investigator]

And now Katrina is missing. Vanished into thin air.

[Narrator]

Soon secrets are about to be revealed, and the family's going to learn there was plenty they didn't know about her.

[Katrina's Sister]

I'm freaking out, driving home fast. I was sobbing, like, the whole way home, just instantly panicking that something's wrong,

[Narrator]

especially after something turns up. And so what did you discover?

[Katrina's Sister]

She's missing. We don't know what happened to her.

[Narrator]

Smith has been missing since Monday night when she told her husband she was going to run errands.

[Katrina's Sister]

It was truly like a nightmare because every day you're waking up and realizing, like, this has actually happened.

[Friend or Family Member]

I still kind of felt like maybe she was at a friend's house or just had a stressful day and just needed some time to herself.

Maybe Katrina's hiding. Maybe she doesn't want to be found.

[Reporter]

We didn't know what the situation truly was. Our Winnebago County Sheriff's Department was investigating a missing person's case, And there wasn't a lot of information.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Police are not revealing all they know, but they are finding clues, including one huge discovery. Just hours after Todd's missing persons call, Katrina's abandoned car.

[Detective John]

So we're on Obispo where Katrina's car

[Narrator]

was found, and the car's literally on the embankment here.

[Detective John]

The road really cuts down at a hard angle, and the vehicle was pulled off the side of the road, and it looked out of place. We had the car towed down to our police department so that the crime scene could go through the car with a fine tooth comb and get any and all evidence that we can out of this car.

[Narrator]

And so what did you find inside the car?

[Detective John]

Later, once we got into the vehicle and were able to look through it, we found this letter. It was in the car, and it ended up being a love letter from Todd to Katrina.

[Narrator]

That note reads in part, to the love of my life, I love you and cherish you. Katrina, love Todd. And it suggests that the last thing that's in here is a message of love and Devotion from her husband.

[Detective John]

That's right, yeah. When we found Katrina's car on the side of the road, it really changed our mindset in that now we're genuinely concerned about her welfare and where is she at? Is she alive? Is she, is she dead? Is she injured? Is she being held captive? We don't know. But now things have gone up a little bit.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

Todd Smith told me he had no marital issues with his wife Katrina. They had a normal relationship as a husband and wife, that they had their normal amount of arguments, but nothing.

[Narrator or Investigator]

In fact, detectives say that Todd told them that the night before Katrina disappeared, the couple was actually discussing adopting children. So with this, Todd is certainly making it seem this marriage was as good as it gets.

[Narrator]

As the police analyze the car for clues, while also looking for other possible leads about Katrina, her family and the community spring into action.

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

I went everywhere passing out Katrina's missing photos, putting them up in gas stations and stores and factories and laundromats and telephone poles and you name it, I put it up there.

[Narrator or Investigator]

All the publicity leads to total strangers helping the family to search.

[Friend or Family Member]

We'll be here every day from the morning till night and we're gonna continue to do that until she's found. It was pretty surreal. There's easily 2, 300 people there.

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

It's a large park and it goes back pretty far. So they wanted to look for any kind of evidence.

[Narrator]

Judy La Sala and Vicki Lurkey were like a lot of people in Rockford. They didn't want to just sit idly by. This is the way you went, right?

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

Yep. We had to search up the hill.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

Yeah.

[Attorney or Legal Expert]

There.

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

We covered all the fields back there. There was a lot of pictures all over Rockford of a Katrina Smith that was missing.

[Narrator or Investigator]

My heart was just broke for her, you know, how could she just show up missing like this and nobody knows where she's at?

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

I don't know why, I just felt like I needed to help find her.

[Katrina's Sister]

You can't give up hope. You just gotta keep thinking that we're gonna find her. I think a lot of people could relate to Katrina because she's this young woman who could be anyone's wife or sister, mother, friend and you know, everyone wanted to come out and do what they could to try to find her.

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

They were there to try to find Katrina. It wasn't like they were paid to go up there, you know, they were forced, they all came there on their own. We wanted to solve the mystery.

[Teacher or School Staff]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

The family of missing 30 year old Katrina Smith not giving up in the Search to find her.

[Katrina's Sister]

You can't even believe that you're going to a park or a wooded area to, like, search for your sister's body potentially. And it's like, we wanted to find her so that we could find her and bring her home, but you don't want to find her either.

[Narrator]

And yet, at the same time, everyone's hearts went out to Todd. He became the face of the tragedy and the search.

[Friend or Family Member]

When I saw Todd, you know, we embraced each other and we cried, and it was hard, you know, because his wife was missing. Todd was my family, so I was hurt for him.

[Detective John]

So Todd reported his wife missing. He seems heartbroken. If you look at him, you're like, oh, this poor guy. It's been horrible.

[Reporter]

So I was the first reporter to interview Todd, and I really felt like this was a big step for him, that he was going to take a second to do something that was really hard for him to try to find his missing wife.

[Detective John]

I just wanted to come home.

[Katrina's Sister]

I'm seeing him crying, and I felt really bad for him that he was going through this horrible thing and that something had happened to his wife. And I just. My heart was, like, breaking for him.

[Detective John]

The community started rallying around him. It gave a lot of pressure on us as the sheriff's department to find her and get the answers. With a case where somebody may be either being held captive, is maybe gravely injured and left laying somewhere, seconds count, minutes count. And so we were doing everything we possibly could to try to find her.

[Narrator or Investigator]

But as that investigation continues, the police, as well as everyone out searching for Katrina are about to be stunned by what is uncovered.

[Detective John]

The phone was essentially dropped into the bush right here.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Clues that turned this case from a missing person to something more sinister.

[Narrator]

This is pretty dense woods. You found a person here.

[Detective John]

We find her purse in the woods, making things look really bad.

[Narrator]

On November 1, 2012, a candlelight vigil is held for Katrina at Schoonmaker park. Ten days after she went missing, Todd and other family members plead on local news for the safe return of Katrina.

[Detective John]

I want to thank everybody for all your efforts.

[Narrator]

They're coming out tonight.

[Teacher or School Staff]

Todd on the news. He was begging people to help find her.

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

He was really hurting, you know, and really concerned about where Katrina was when

[Todd's Child or Family Member]

we were going on the searches. He originally didn't want to go on tv. He was worried people would judge him for wanting attention. Somebody convinced him that it might help.

[Reporter]

I was feeling a lot of compassion for this man who really was missing his wife. His whole world was flipped upside down.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

We're getting leads from everywhere. We were getting calls. We were provided with names of possible suspects.

[Narrator]

Early in the investigation, detectives learned that Katrina had filed a police report about a disturbance, disturbing incident in her neighborhood.

[Detective John]

Katrina Smith had reported that someone was stalking her. We thought, here we go. This is probably the guy that has her, you know, wherever she's at.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

He was somebody from her church group that had been looking through her bedroom window.

[Community Member or Investigator]

He was a teenager who had lived in Katrina's neighborhood who had some sort of an unhealthy infatuation with her. She was worried about this infatuation.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

This young man was attending college at a university near Winnebago county at the time of her disappearance.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

That person is our number one suspect.

[Narrator]

Katrina's alleged stalker had left town for college. As detectives try to track him down, they intensify their search for Katrina in the area where they found her car abandoned. There's no reason for a car to be here.

[Detective John]

There's no reason. And it just looked very out of place

[Narrator]

when the searches were underway. You create search teams to go into these woods?

[Detective John]

That's correct, yeah. We searched every square inch for a very long distance. We also had the help of the community that showed up and helped in these very large scale searches. So they're expanding the search. It's gone from this park to a 20 mile radius around it.

[Narrator]

And that search pays off with a key discovery. This is pretty dense woods. You found a person here.

[Detective John]

We find her purse in the woods in the brush. It's making things look really bad at this point.

[Narrator]

Also found near the car some paper towels that someone had thrown out.

[Detective John]

We found found some towels that had what looked like blood on them. The towels looked as though they were used to clean something. We were able to determine that the car had actually been wiped down clean on the inside.

[Narrator]

And we found DNA, Katrina's DNA on the paper towels. But was any DNA found inside the car?

[Detective John]

There was some DNA found inside the car.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

The things that we were finding clearly led us to believe that something bad had happened.

[Narrator]

The mystery of Katrina's disappearance deepens when another vital clue is found. Her cell phone. So this is where you found the cell phone.

[Detective John]

The phone was essentially dropped into the bush right here. It was down at the bottom of this thing. We don't know how these pieces got there. They were being found and collected as

[Narrator]

evidence like breadcrumbs along a route.

[Detective John]

It was like somebody sprinkling breadcrumbs, like a trail. Once you look at where everything was found, you could see where it looked like one person or two persons had everything in their hands. They were throwing it there as they were walking along. We're as detectives trying to figure this out. Bloody towels. Look like somebody cleaned something up. You've got a cell phone that was discarded over here. Why are you throwing them in these odd places where they can likely be found? Anytime we have a case that we feel may be involved with somebody that has been kidnapped, being held for ransom, homicide, the whole department in general goes 110% towards that until we find this person.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Remember, police have a suspect, that teenager who Katrina suspected of stalking. Her detectives are able to track him down at a university in Illinois and immediately drive there to speak with him.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

I personally interviewed that person and he did confirm the things that he was being accused of in the past with Katrina Smith. We were able to verify his location during the time of Katrina Smith disappearing. He was at school at that time. We confirmed the login information of when he was at the school and that completely eliminated him from being a suspect in this investigation.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

We were confident after follow up that this individual was excluded from having anything to do with the death of Katrina Smith.

[Detective John]

He was nowhere near town, clear alibi. We were able to dismiss him as being involved in this in any way, shape or form.

[Narrator]

With the Illinois college student in the clear, detectives are stumped until they're able to examine the contents of Katrina's cell phone.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Katrina's cell phone reveals a treasure trove of text messages between her and a male co worker.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

We found out that Katrina was having having an affair with a co worker that worked with her at Cameron Industries.

[Detective John]

We start looking into his background and lo and behold, he's got issues in his past that raise a lot of red flags with us as detectives.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

There's no question that we have our guy.

[Podcast Host]

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. If you've been listening to this show for a while now, you've heard a lot about BetterHelp before. You've heard about how helpful therapy can be and how it can work for all different types of people. But one thing we haven't talked about before is how much users love it. So today, BetterHelp wants to invite you to check out the reviews written by real people who've experienced the difference that BetterHelp can make. BetterHelp has an average live therapy session rating of 4.9 out of 5 based on over 1.7 million client session reviews. You can see those reviews for [e-mail] reviews. Reviews are updated every day in real time with more clients. Real stories over their 12 years in business, BetterHelp has served more than 6 million people around the globe. All BetterHelp therapists have at least 3 years and 1000 hours of hands on experience and they hold all required education, training and certifications across a wide range of mental health specialties. Get started today, see the reviews, see what stands out and see if BetterHelp is right for you. Visit betterhelp.com 2020That's betterhelph e lp.com 2020 this show is supported by Chime. Let's be honest, no one likes paying bank fees. For a long time they felt inevitable because every bank charged them. But now there are other options. Now there's Chime. Chime is changing the way people bank by eliminating fees. That's right. No monthly fees, no minimum balance fees, and no overdraft fees. Instead of fees, you get Rewards. You get 5% cash back on Chime card in a category of your choice like gas or groceries, all the while building credit through regular everyday spending. With no credit check, you can also grow your money faster at a savings rate that's nine times the national average. And if you're ever in a pinch, Spotme lets you overdraft up to $200 fee free. Join the millions who are already banking fee free with America's number one choice for banking. Head to chime.com 20 spelled out T W E N T Y. Sign up now. It only takes a few minutes. That's Chime.com 20Chime is a fintech, not a bank. Banking services and Chime card provided by Chime's bank partners. Qualifying direct deposits required terms and limits apply. Go to chime.com disclosures for details.

[Narrator]

When detectives examine Katrina's cell phone, they make a startling discovery. They find texts between Katrina and a man who worked in her office. Turns out Katrina was having a secret affair with a co worker.

[Detective John]

During the background investigation of Katrina Smith, we interviewed a lot of people, including co workers. One of the first persons that showed up at her condo the day that she was reported missing was a person by the name of Guy Gabriel.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

Guy Gabriel was a co worker that worked with her at Cameron Industries. She worked in HR and he was a supervisor in another department. So they met and began a relationship.

[Detective John]

When we learned that Katrina Smith was having an affair with a co worker, it opened up like Pandora's box. It was a moment that we all looked at ourselves like, are you kidding me? She's having an affair with a guy. It was kind of a Bombshell moment.

[Defense Attorney]

There was a number of texts from him where he was like, just tell Todd you want a divorce. Just tell him.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Katrina's secret affair was hidden from almost everybody on the outside. It appeared Katrina and Todd had a loving, happy marriage.

[Katrina's Sister]

Katrina loved Todd and they had a solid marriage. They had, like, a great relationship.

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

Katrina was happy. I mean, she was the happiest I've ever seen. Happier with him than she's ever been with anybody.

[Narrator]

And when detectives dig deeper, they find out Guy Gabriel had a serious brush with the law in the past. He was living in a temporary residence on a campground, which they also considered suspicious. Detectives discover that in 1989, Gabriel was charged with a felony aggravated battery during a bar fight. Gabriel pleaded not guilty and was eventually acquitted of that charge.

[Detective John]

We started focusing on Guy at this moment because he's got an arrest.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

In the past, Mr. Gabriel knew exactly where she was on the night that Katrina went missing.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

Guy Gabriel became a suspect because he had a relationship with Katrina.

[Narrator]

Detectives also learn about a bizarre incident involving Katrina and Guy Gabriel. It took place exactly two weeks before she disappeared. Some of Katrina's co workers are sitting outside when they see an unknown car driving deliberately through the office parking lot.

[Detective John]

A day that everybody was hanging outside the door, the door here, as they come outside, get air. This black Volkswagen comes pulling into the lot. Quickly. The person driving the car rolls this handful of flyers out the sun roof of the car and then speeds off.

[Narrator]

But what a bizarre incident.

[Detective John]

It was completely bizarre. The person driving the car was masked and gloved, driving a car with no plates on it, just a black car.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Some of these flyers actually drop at the feet of the co workers who naturally pick them up to read it. And there's a reference to apparently Katrina, but the name shortened to Cat. There was the name Guy, and right in the middle was a profanity, some rather vulgar comments.

[Narrator]

Let's say those flyers detailed the affair between Katrina and and Guy Gabriel with Katrina's name deliberately misspelled.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

Somebody is out there to cause problems at her job. Whoever it was wanted everybody at her work to know that she was having an affair or having a relationship with Guy Gabriel.

[Narrator]

On top of that disturbing incident, Katrina also had the feeling that someone was using her cell phone to track her movements. So she went to her cell phone dealer for help.

[Detective John]

Katrina had gone to the store with concerns that she was being followed, being tracked. She thought someone was tracking her, so she brought the cell phone to the store.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

She requested time off to go over to US Cellular to see whether or not her phone had been compromised.

[Narrator]

The cell phone rep said Katrina seemed fine the first couple of times she visited the store. But on that last visit, something was clearly wrong.

[Friend or Family Member]

That day was different. When she came in, she was worried. She was afraid. She, like, her whole demeanor was not what it had been before. She was way more fidgety. She was moving her phone a lot, keys between her hands, messing with her fingers.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

Katrina was scared. I believe she feared for her life. At that point, Katrina texted her stepfather about how to get a void card and be able to obtain a gun.

[Detective John]

Katrina wanted to get a gun for protection.

[Narrator]

With his previous arrest battery and Katrina's fear that someone was tracking her movements, police believe it's more and more likely that Guy Gabriel may have had something to do with her disappearance.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

You got a female that is missing. You got somebody who is dating her, and then we find this information about the prior arrest. There's no question that we. We have our Guy. We grabbed Guy Gabriel, brought him into the police department. We felt we had it. We thought we were going to find Katrina. We thought we were going to get information of where Katrina was.

[Narrator]

But when Gabriel sits down to talk to police, he has an astonishing story to tell, one that will take the investigation into a shocking new direction.

[Detective John]

We come to find out that Katrina was leaving Todd, that she was leaving this marriage, and that she was done was the day that she went missing.

[Narrator]

Investigators say there are a lot of reasons for them to suspect Guy Gabriel might have had something to do with Katrina's disappearance. The two were having an affair. Plus, detectives say they had some questions about Guy.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

And without knowing anything about Guy Gabriel, we thought we had a guy. We interviewed him. We asked for a timeline of everything where he has been from the time that Katrina went missing up to now.

[Narrator]

So now he's a potential suspect, but he's called cooperating with you.

[Detective John]

He was completely cooperative with us. He told us everything we wanted to know. He let us in his house. He let us search everything.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

He provided an alibi as to where he was. And actually, it was confirmed he was not there. He was not anywhere close to Katrina.

[Narrator]

So you have to dismiss him as a suspect because he has an ironclad alibi.

[Detective John]

We were able to easily disclude him from being involved in her disappearance.

[Narrator or Investigator]

But talking with Guy Gabriel is invaluable to investigators. Anyway, he drops a bombshell bit of information. According to detectives, he claims Katrina told him her marriage to Todd was ending. She was about to leave him and had already moved out of the house. He even Tells detectives that he saved the textile messages she sent him about all of this.

[Narrator]

So these are texts that Katrina sent to Guy. Guy shares them with you. The text reads, I already told him before I wanted a divorce. Appointment with attorney next Monday. Numerous times I've said I have nothing to give. This is painting a very different picture than what you would have imagined. What is this telling you?

[Detective John]

As detectives, it's pretty clear that Katrina wants out of her relationship, her marriage with Todd, and that she's revealing her true feelings to this person

[Friend or Family Member]

I had heard about. Guy Gabriel was someone that Katrina was confiding in, that she worked with

[Detective John]

during the initial investigation and talking with Todd about his marriage with his now missing wife. He tells us that. That everything's fine. He says she's simply house sitting for a friend. That's it.

[Narrator]

The fact that you caught him in a lie, what did that tell you?

[Detective John]

We have to start wondering, why is Todd not being straight with us?

[Narrator or Investigator]

Remember that card from Todd that was in Katrina's car when it was found on the side of the road? Well, now detectives say they have to look at it in a whole new light. Instead of a simple love letter, could Katrina have really seen it as a threat? He says, I am scared to death that you're going to start talking to someone who will take advantage of the situation, and that feelings will develop to confuse the situation more.

[Detective John]

When Guy Gabriel told us what Katrina had told him, it opened up the book of, okay, Guy is being honest with us, and we have to maybe shift back towards somebody else being involved in this.

[Narrator]

And some fascinating detective work leads them here to what used to be a used car dealership. Now, investigators are still trying to figure out who threw out those flyers about Katrina's affair. The surveillance camera showed a black VW with no license plates. Does that mean it came from a car dealership? That's why cops scour every car lot in town to find just one match here. So they come for a chat with

[Detective John]

the owner, and he goes, yeah, I know Todd Smith. He was in here not too long ago looking for a car. Ears perked up. Wait, what? He goes, I think it was that Volkswagen out there, that black Volkswagen.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

We were able to verify, on the same day, October 9th of 2012, Todd Smith actually test drove a black Volkswagen facade with a sunroof.

[Detective John]

And he goes, anybody that test drives a car, we make a photocopy of their driver's license, and there's a stack. There's a lot of them. I'm going through it and I get to the bottom, there's a photocopy of Todd Smith, who had taken a car for a test drive.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

We were not able to see and verify that that was Todd, other than it fits the description of him. He had a dark hooded sweatshirt. He was covered. It appeared that he might have been wearing a wig.

[Narrator]

When questioned by a detective, Todd denied throwing those flyers. And of course, even if police suspected he was behind the incident.

[Friend or Family Member]

Police.

[Narrator]

That would only make him a jealous husband. It's not proof he had anything to do with Katrina's disappearance. And the fact is, even some of Katrina's family and closest friends didn't know she wanted to end the marriage.

[Katrina's Sister]

Finding out that she had moved out, I didn't know that she had moved out.

[Detective John]

She was kind of keeping it close to her heart and not letting everybody know that there was a problem at home.

[Narrator or Investigator]

But that's not all. They didn't know. Katrina's family thought Todd was running a prosperous business. Turns out, maybe not.

[Teacher or School Staff]

Todd had some financial issues. Todd was telling people that he had all of this money and that he was so successful. But in truth, Katrina was the breadwinner.

[Friend or Family Member]

Todd was being investigated by the FBI.

[Detective John]

He's involved in a wire fraud case that the federal government is investigating.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Investigators now have plenty of reasons to look more closely at Todd. And they say the more they, they dig, the more they find out he is not what he appears to be at all.

[Detective John]

It was just a non stop barrage of information that we're uncovering.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

We found some pretty disturbing things that made us question the type of person Todd was.

[Teacher or School Staff]

It's hard to wrap my head around the fact that this nice, quiet, seem to be happy guy could be such a monster.

[Narrator]

And soon came the horrible discovery everybody dreaded. How close were you when you started to see recognizable details?

[Off-Duty Firefighter Ryan Bruce]

Probably within 20 yards. I knew that it was a body and there was no need to go any closer. You could see the clothing in the. In the torso.

[Narrator]

It can't have been easy to see Katrina's body. It's really sad, the news you.

[Katrina's Sister]

You absolutely don't want to hear.

[Detective John]

Todd is being looked at as a suspect.

[Reporter]

No one really knew who this man was.

[Narrator or Investigator]

A failing marriage wasn't the only secret Todd Smith was hiding.

[Narrator]

Todd Smith wasn't even Todd Smith.

[Detective John]

Every time we had a new lead, it opened up kind of a Pandora's box.

[Former Assistant Federal Prosecutor Joseph Peterson]

The home exploded and burned.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

And he put his hands on my chin. In my back of my head,

[Katrina's Sister]

I

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

know he was gonna break my neck.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Here's a really crazy twist in this case.

[Detective John]

John Gotta get in here. Come in here right now.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

I would have gone to my grave with. The.

[Narrator]

30 year old Katrina Smith had been reported missing by her husband Todd on the evening of October 23rd. Desperate for answers and help, the emotionally distraught father of three took to the local airwaves in Rockford, Illinois.

[Detective John]

It's been horrible.

[Reporter]

I felt like when I was interviewing Todd that he was putting on a show more than he was answering questions to find his wife. I didn't see a single tear.

[Detective John]

He said I'd be back later. And that's the last we heard of her.

[Narrator]

Katrina was Todd's second wife, 15 years younger, she had embraced the role of stepmother to his three daughters. And the blended family were living a seemingly picture perfect life.

[Reporter]

We didn't know what the situation truly was. Our Winnebago County Sheriff's Department was investigating a missing persons case and there wasn't a lot of information at the start of that.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Friends and family are worried. They organized searches in this desperate attempt to find her.

[Friend or Family Member]

We'll be here every day from the morning till night, and we're going to continue to do that until she's found.

[Detective John]

The groups that are out searching, they're finding little things. The police are out searching. We're finding little pieces of evidence.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Katrina's abandoned car was discovered the very night she was reported missing. In the days that followed, a trail of evidence like breadcrumbs. Her purse, cell phone, bloody paper towels. But for nearly three long weeks, no Katrina Smith.

[Narrator]

The discovery of a secret lover from Katrina's work, guy Gabriel, has given investigators pause. But police learn Gabriel has an airtight alibi and he's cleared. But then a discovery that changes everything.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

On November 9, we got a phone call. There was an off duty fireman fishing on the Rock river in Byron, Illinois. It's a good 20 miles south of where Katrina's vehicle was found.

[Narrator]

So this feeds into the Mississippi river too.

[Detective John]

Yep.

[Narrator]

Ryan Bruce is out fishing on Halloween when his boat runs up on a log. It's pitch black out. And while he's working to free himself, he notices something odd stuck on the upstream side.

[Off-Duty Firefighter Ryan Bruce]

Being so dark I couldn't see see what it was. So I got a flashlight out, I shined my light on it, which only illuminated a small, maybe four or six inch circle.

[Narrator]

It's a brief encounter, and even though he can't make out what that object was, his gut tells him something isn't right.

[Off-Duty Firefighter Ryan Bruce]

The next time I was able to go out on the water, I came out, it was daytime, middle of the day and I was going fishing again. But I knew I had to stop and check that first just to either confirm or see that it was trash.

[Narrator]

And you remembered exactly where it was?

[Off-Duty Firefighter Ryan Bruce]

Yes.

[Narrator]

How close were you when you started to see recognizable details?

[Off-Duty Firefighter Ryan Bruce]

Probably within 20 yards.

[Narrator]

What registered with you?

[Off-Duty Firefighter Ryan Bruce]

Just, you could see the clothing in the torso. I knew that it was a body and there was no need to go any closer. I called the sheriff's department and waited for them to come there.

[Narrator]

It would have literally been right here.

[Detective John]

Right over the side of the boat.

[Todd's Child or Family Member]

Yeah.

[Narrator]

It's just awful to think about it.

[Detective John]

I was in the detective bureau. My boss came out and said they found a body. Go down there, see if it's her.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

The medical examiner was able to compare the dental records and was able to verify and confirm that it was Katrina Smith.

[Todd's Child or Family Member]

My first reaction was just utter sorrow, like, you can't believe it. But there was also this tiny bit of relief that it was over that we, like, found her. Because a lot of people never find their loved ones.

[Katrina's Sister]

There was some sense of relief in a way that, like, they found her. But obviously it's the news you. You absolutely don't want to hear. And it was just awful knowing that this is the reality. Like, she's gone.

[Detective John]

The autopsy revealed that Katrina Smith died as a result of blunt force trauma to her head. She had been struck many, many times by a very hard object right on top of her head. It was tremendous damage. It changes everything. At this point moment, this investigation just went from being a missing person to murder.

[Narrator]

Todd Smith tells investigators his marriage is solid, but that co worker Katrina is having an affair with shares text messages with investigators that suggest the relationship between Todd and Katrina is anything but solid. It was over. He shows you a message to that says, I had an appointment with my attorney next Monday.

[Detective John]

Katrina did have an appointment with a divorce attorney. We found out this wasn't just talk. She was making actions to get divorced.

[Narrator or Investigator]

And a failing marriage wasn't the only secret Todd Smith was hiding.

[Narrator]

The other sort of facade, if you will, is that everyone thinks that Todd is a successful investment professional. But you start digging into that too.

[Detective John]

There couldn't be anything further from the truth about Todd being a successful businessman.

[Narrator]

Joseph Peterson is a former assistant federal prosecutor for the Northern District of Illinois.

[Former Assistant Federal Prosecutor Joseph Peterson]

I first became familiar with the name Todd Smith when I was assigned a case regarding investment fraud of a individual who was soliciting individuals through his insurance business to invest with a company called Electus Asset Holdings.

[Narrator]

The FBI has been investigating Todd Smith for his Alleged role in running a Ponzi scheme.

[Detective John]

He's got a partner. His partner's already been arrested. Todd is being looked at as a suspect. And he's having these meetings with people that we found out he was calling like chicken dinners where he would have people come and he would pitch the sales pitch to them and they would invest money with him.

[Former Assistant Federal Prosecutor Joseph Peterson]

Todd Smith's role was recruiting the investors and he would get a commission for the investors who invested.

[Narrator]

But according to authorities, there was just one problem.

[Former Assistant Federal Prosecutor Joseph Peterson]

The documents that he was presenting to the investors were fraudulent because they stated that their money was 100% guaranteed that they could get all of it back. One of the individuals in this case was a couple who were in their 80s. They invested over $500,000 and they lost all of it. And that was their life savings.

[Narrator]

For Winnebago county detectives investigating Katrina's murder, Todd's background raises some troubling questions. And slowly, as investigators continue to dig, that carefully crafted image Todd Smith had built begins to crumble.

[Reporter]

This was a situation where for a lot of people, no one really knew who this man was.

[Narrator]

In fact, Todd Smith wasn't even Todd Smith.

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[True Crime Podcast Host]

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[Narrator or Investigator]

The body of Katrina Smith was discovered in the Rock river by an off duty firefighter. Now an autopsy reveals the 30 year old died as a result of blunt forced trauma to the head. And with the missing person case now officially a homicide, investigators turn up the heat on Todd Smith.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

As we're looking at Todd's background, we found some pretty disturbing things that made us question the type of person Todd was.

[Detective John]

Every time we had a new lead, it opened up kind of a Pandora's box.

[Narrator or Investigator]

One of the most startling decisions discoveries was that Todd Smith wasn't always Todd Smith.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

He used to Have a different name. He was a rap rager. That was his last name.

[Narrator]

Todd Rap Rager grew up in McChesney Park, Illinois where he lived with his mother, so stepfather and three younger half siblings.

[Teacher or School Staff]

The first time I met Todd was at our lockers our freshman year at Harlem High School. Our lockers were next to each other all through high school. Todd was short, very thin, kind of quiet. A good looking kid. I thought he was cute. He was in band, I believe he was on the football team our freshman year. He seemed like a really nice kid.

[Narrator or Investigator]

That thin, quiet, good looking kid was friendly and polite. But he rarely spoke of his life outside of Harlem High School.

[Teacher or School Staff]

Todd seemed like there was maybe something going on in his home life.

[Narrator or Investigator]

That home life became the subject of intense scrutiny when Todd was just 17 years old.

[Detective John]

In March of 1985, Todd was involved

[Former Assistant Federal Prosecutor Joseph Peterson]

in an incident wherein he had an argument with his family and went for a walk. But before he left on the walk,

[Detective John]

he unplugged the natural gas line to the home. While he was out walking, the home exploded and burned.

[Interviewer or Investigator]

In interviewing the owner, you said that he and his wife were awakened by an explosion. The ceiling was falling in on him. He got his wife out of the house, along with one of his youngest child out of the house. But they couldn't find Todd Rapregger.

[Former Assistant Federal Prosecutor Joseph Peterson]

According to the report, she was outside screaming for him, thinking that he was trapped in there.

[Interviewer or Investigator]

Ultimately, an interrogation of Todd resulted in Todd confessing to the fact that he had been the one that disconnected the gas line with intent that there was going to be a fire. He just wanted to scare his mother because they had not been getting along for an extended period of time. There had been an ongoing conflict between him and his mother.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Todd waived his right to a jury trial and he entered a plea of guilty to the arson. He got 30 months probation and 160 hours of community service.

[Interviewer or Investigator]

Looking back at it, you'd have to say he was a troubled boy. Probably needed some help, some professional help

[Detective John]

somewhere along the line.

[Narrator]

Todd moved away shortly after the fire that destroyed his family's home. And three years later, with his legal troubles behind him, he found love with Teresa.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

When I met Todd, he was working full time at a local factory.

[Narrator]

Teresa asked that we not reveal her last name.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

I was 21 and he was 20, so we were both very young. We met at a party just with friends, and we hit it off. And he seemed very, very kind and fun to be with. Seemed like a genuinely nice person. We were married in Jamaica in 1992. We decided to go that route because of his family situation.

[Narrator]

That same year, Todd legally changed his name to Smith, his biological father's last name. His troubled past was in the rearview mirror. Todd seemed to embrace his role as husband and father. What was he like as a father?

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

He was very excited to be a father. He was very loving, very attentive, very protective.

[Todd's Child or Family Member]

My dad was fun to be around. He was funny. He's a good listener. Whenever you're having a problem or you're upset about something he noticed. And he would listen like fully and offer comfort and advice like all the things that a normal dad would do.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

The early years were good. We were happy.

[Narrator]

You said it was the happiest time of your life.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

It was.

[Narrator]

While the family appeared to be living a perfect life behind closed doors, Theresa says the reality was that after nearly a decade of marriage, their financial struggles were taking a toll. What did he claim to be doing? Employment wise. And what was he actually doing?

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

I don't know what he was actually doing. He was involved in the financial world, insurance.

[Narrator]

And was he making money, bringing home money?

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

Not on a consistent level. Like there was money coming in, but there wasn't anything that could be counted on.

[Narrator]

Teresa says with mounting debt, they were forced to sell their house and move the family into her parents home.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

I had returned to work after having our third child. I had accepted both a full time and a part time position and having carrying the burden of trying to pay our bills and also be the primary parent caring for the children, it became too much.

[Narrator]

The couple separated and shared custody of their three daughters. Later that same year, Teresa was the victim of a brutal robbery and assault, an experience that has haunted her for more than two decades. Something she has never talked about publicly until now. Do you remember what the mask looked like?

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

Yes. It was a werewolf. Even though I couldn't see his face because he had a mask on, I could still see his eyes.

[Narrator]

Todd Smith had settled down with Teresa and seemingly left his tortured past behind, starting a family of his own while embracing the role of husband and father. But Teresa says he struggled as a provider for his young family. I get the sense of that in every way. Todd walked around like he was the perfect husband, perfect father.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

I think that image was everything to him. And he fooled people into believing that he was successful and that he was providing and that we were the perfect.

[Narrator]

You were the breadwinner of the family.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

Yes.

[Narrator]

And you were raising the kids.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

Yes.

[Narrator]

And you were paying for his life.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

Yes.

[Narrator or Investigator]

When Teresa was forced to sell her home and move her family into her parents house. Well, she had reached her breaking point.

[Narrator]

Teresa and her three girls were living here in this Loves park neighborhood at her parents house. Top had officially moved out. But on October 6, 2001, Teresa says something happened that would haunt her for more than two decades. Teresa says she hasn't spoken publicly about it until now.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

We had been separated for a few months, and I had gone out for the evening, came back home, pulled into the driveway, and. And I was carrying my keys, my purse, and a Capri Sun, I'll never forget that. And went around the corner and I was punched in the face full force. Knocked me off balance. And he was wearing a Halloween mask.

[Narrator]

Do you remember what the mask looked like?

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

Yes, it was a werewolf. And he started to beat me out.

[Narrator]

So you fall into the ground?

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

At this point, I was off balance and he. He started punching me.

[Narrator]

And then how did you get away?

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

I had gotten myself onto my knees, and he went behind me and he put his hands on my chin in my back of my head. And he was. I know he was gonna break my neck. And I just remember thinking that my mom was gonna come out in the

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

morning

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

and find me dead in the yard. And when that thought went through my head, I just like, burst up. Like I had like a adrenaline rush or something. And I just like stood up really fast and it knocked him backwards. And then I ran.

[Narrator]

She called me that night to tell me that she was attacked outside the house.

[Attorney or Legal Expert]

And I had to calm her down

[Narrator]

to understand that she was okay. I mean, she.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

She survived somebody trying to.

[Narrator]

To kill her.

[Detective John]

She reports it to the police, and who does she say that she thinks this person is? She says it's her husband, Todd Smith.

[Narrator]

How can you be sure it was him?

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

I mean, I was married to him. I could see his eyes. I could see his body. I mean, it was him.

[Narrator]

Todd told police he had been home at the time of the attack. And Teresa says when she confronted him days later, he denied being responsible. Fingernail scrapings taken from Teresa at the scene were compared to fibers on a jacket belonging to Todd, but the results were inconclusive. Teresa also had blood under one of her fingernails, and detectives wanted to test it for DNA and compare it to Todd's. But police say Todd refused to cooperate. And with no probable cause for a search warrant to obtain a DNA sample, they closed the case. Teresa says she was actually relieved by that decision.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

I was keeping it a secret. I didn't want people to find out because I didn't want.

[Narrator]

Begins to be

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

ashamed So I just thought it was my secret, my cross to bear. I would have gone to my grave with the secret.

[Narrator]

And when she shared with you some of the dark parts of what had happened to her, how did you react?

[Friend or Family Member]

Well, first of all, I could tell at least I felt and I believed that, you know, that she was telling me the truth.

[Narrator]

Teresa married her second husband Jason in 2013.

[Friend or Family Member]

It was obvious to me that Teresa did what she did for the girls and that she put what happened to her aside in order to protect the girls and not put that on them.

[Narrator or Investigator]

For detectives doing a deep dive on Todd Smith In 2012, the attack on Teresa was a stunning discovery that only added to the suspicion surrounding Todd.

[Detective John]

Lots and lots of red flags.

[Narrator]

The investigation is now heating up. And when police canvass the neighborhood surrounding the area where Katrina's abandoned car. Car was found, they catch a break. Surveillance footage of an unidentified man walking in the rain less than a mile from Todd's house.

[Detective John]

We have found surveillance cameras from houses showing this figure walking with a hood up over his head. Small stature guy walks down on a side street.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Investigators didn't know who the mystery man in the video was, but they were convinced that they were watching Katrina Smith's killer.

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[True Crime Podcast Host]

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[Detective John]

If you went probably a mile or two mile diameter around where we found that car, we knocked on every door of every house. We went through almost every backyard looking for evidence. Some of these houses have surveillance cameras. You find a couple houses that show this small statured person walking in the middle of a storm with his hood pulled up. So there's the camera on the corner of the house.

[Narrator]

Oh, yeah.

[Detective John]

That caught this figure walking down here. And he walks all the way down right to the dead end and then disappears into the brush. Back in here.

[Defense Attorney]

Right.

[Narrator]

So what's on the other side of this fence?

[Detective John]

You could cut right through this field right here. They've cleared all the land. There's a road that runs through here, but you can see you could walk from this point to Todd's house in about 10 minutes.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

Maybe it fit the description, or at least a physical description of Todd's man,

[Narrator]

but the image in that surveillance video is too grainy and the subject's too far away to make a positive id. Meanwhile, police are pursuing other leads. They execute a search warrant at Todd's house, where a forensic examination of his laptop reveals that he was using GPS tracking software.

[Friend or Family Member]

Katrina Smith may have been being tracked by Todd Smith with a tracking device.

[Narrator]

The search warrant also leads to another crucial point. Piece of evidence.

[Detective John]

One of the items that was found was a baseball bat that was leaning in the corner of a garage. The crime scene investigator noticed something on the bat. Well, that something ended up testing positive for blood.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

We then submitted that to DNA testing, and we had several matches to Katrina Smith's profile. We had it on the barrel of the bat. We had it on another area of the bat. When Todd found out that the bat was no longer in his garage and had been taken, as evidenced by law enforcement officers, he became very upset and nervous.

[Narrator or Investigator]

But once Katrina's body had been discovered, detectives take it to another level, which

[Detective John]

we would often find reasons for Todd to come down to the police station to talk to him, fill him in on some things. So this is interview room number seven. This is the last room that I talked to Todd personally and Detective Vince Lindbergh and I sat right here. Todd was sitting in this chair here. This is when we started making the accusations that he was involved in his wife's murder. Todd immediately said, where are you going with this? I don't know what you're talking about. He got upset. Jack Lindbergh has explained to him, we have all of this evidence. It all points towards you. You know, your wife has been murdered and you did it. He stands up, the chair, goes against the wall because he's angry. Points at the ceiling, where the camera's at, right there in the corner, and he starts screaming, I want my attorney. I want my attorney. And he walked out of here. And every conversation happened. This was involving his attorney.

[Narrator or Investigator]

On Wednesday, November 21, 2012, just 12 days after Katrina Smith's body was found in the Rock River, Winnebago County Sheriff's arrested Todd Smith. He's charged with four counts of first degree murder and one count of Concealing homicide. And Todd Smith pleads not guilty to all charges.

[Katrina's Sister]

When we got the phone call and they said, hey, we got him, like, we just arrested Todd. And it was so surreal. I mean, it's like the moment we're waiting for, for him to know that he wasn't just going to get away with this.

[Community Member or Investigator]

I think as soon as he was arrested for Katrina's murder, the community flipped. I think the community felt a sense of betrayal there.

[Narrator]

Even though police believe they arrested the person responsible for Katrina's death, Todd Smith's case is not a slam dunk.

[Detective John]

We had a lot of evidence, nothing relating directly to Todd.

[Narrator]

That baseball bat, which prosecutors alleged to be the murder weapon, is found to have no traces of Tom Todd's DNA on it.

[Detective John]

You've got somebody that you're looking at and you've got all of this stuff that points to a certain person, you still in the back of your mind, you're like, I wish we had the smoking gun. We didn't have that yet.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

This case, even though it was strong, it was charged on circumstantial evidence. And cases like that are very hard to prove in court.

[Reporter]

I truly believe, based on the evidence, that Todd thought this was a crime he was going to get away with.

[Narrator]

Defense attorneys also file a motion to disqualify that evidence that Todd had GPS tracking software on his computer, saying there's no proof that he was tracking Katrina.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

That was our impetus to go in a second time to analyze that computer.

[Lead Detective or Investigator]

In 2016, before we went to trial on this case, we conducted a second search on it. There was new technology, new software. I was able to find the logs and recover the logs from a GPS device that had been deleted.

[Detective John]

I will never forget the day in my office when I was sitting at my desk and Detective Juan has stuck his head out of the office and goes, john, you gotta get in here. Come in here right now. I found the tracking software. It got turned on at her car.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

We believe that when Todd dumped the body that he thought he had turned off the tracking device when he detached it from her vehicle, and he had not. It was actually still on.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Police say that GPS data provided a roadmap for Todd's movements, tracking him from Katrina's car along the path where her purse and cell phone and the bloody paper towels were found. And then in front of that home where the surveillance video of the man walking by was recorded.

[Detective John]

And this tracker takes him right to the front door of Todd Smith's house.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

The tracking device did not lie. It's Computer data.

[Narrator]

So his jealous tracking essentially exposed himself.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

Absolutely.

[Detective John]

This was the smoking gun we were looking for.

[Narrator]

Prosecutors now think they have a rock solid case against Todd Smith. But it turns out his defense attorneys also have an ace up their sleeve.

[Narrator or Investigator]

They say they now have evidence that police have arrested the wrong man.

[Narrator]

The high profile murder trial of Todd Smith got underway today. He's the husband of Katrina Smith, who went missing in October of 2012.

[Narrator or Investigator]

It's January 2017, four years since Katrina Smith disappeared, and now her own husband, Todd, goes on trial for her murder.

[Community Member or Investigator]

It was a huge deal just in the Rockford area and everybody was following the case.

[Narrator]

What was your mindset going into trial? Did you think you had a good case?

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

Absolutely. I think a prosecutor has to be confident in the integrity of the investigation and the strategy that we have put together.

[Community Member or Investigator]

In the opening statements, the prosecution explained that they were going to show that Todd was guilty through the evidence. And it was evidence that Todd had left behind, till death do us part,

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

a vowel Katrina Smith spoke when she married the defendant. And that vow would prove to be a deadly vowel for Katrina Smith. The reason I believe that that was her epithet is because she was not going to reconcile with the marriage and she was moving forward with her life. He was not going to have that. And he literally took the words till death do us part seriously.

[Narrator]

The prosecution takes jurors through their main evidence, including that aluminum baseball bat they alleged to be the murder weapon.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Another key piece of evidence, all that information in Todd's computer that pointed to his use of a tracking device to follow his wife.

[Detective John]

I think one of the stronger pieces of evidence was the tracker was taken off of Katrina's car and it continued to send ping or GPS markings which coincided with a path of evidence from the car back to Todd Smith's house.

[Narrator]

Prosecutors also call a parade of witnesses, including Katrina's co worker, Guy Gabriel, who testifies under oath that Katrina was desperate to leave Todd.

[Detective John]

Just encouraging her to be open and honest, to let people know how she felt at home, how she felt about their relationship, her desires to get out.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

Guy Gabriel was an important witness because the night that Katrina disappeared, she had text him that she had told Todd the marriage was over.

[Narrator or Investigator]

In its opening statements, the defense had its own message to send to the jury, and that was rush to judgment. You've got the wrong guy.

[Defense Attorney]

This is a case that is completely built on a shaky foundation of rumors and speculation. Throughout this entire case. You could see that the police narrowed in on Todd Smith. They didn't really look at other Suspects, they really focused exclusively on him.

[Narrator]

And in a dramatic move, defense lawyers point the finger at Guy Gabriel as a possible suspect. They drop a bombshell in court, revealing that just a month before the trial, Gabriel was arrested and charged with aggravated domestic battery. According to the police report, Gabriel's wife said after an argument, he knocked her to the ground and slammed her head into the pavement at least three times. His wife admitted they had physical domestics in the past. The first thing I noticed was she

[Reporter]

had a large knot on her forehead.

[Narrator]

Her face was really red, and it

[Reporter]

looked like she had been crying.

[Attorney or Legal Expert]

We wanted the jury to know that the person that she suddenly became involved with on a very personal level was also somebody who was violent.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Guy Gabriel admitted guilt to the charge, but the state's attorney has an irrefutable rebuttal. Guy Gabriel was at work when this was happening to Katrina. They showed the jury actual video evidence, surveillance of him going into his place of employment.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

All of the evidence regarding Katrina's disappearance and her murder. It all led to Todd Smith. It did not lead to Guy Gabriel. It did not lead to anyone else but Todd Smith.

[Community Member or Investigator]

The one part of the trial that I will never forget was Marilyn Hyte Ross. The prosecution, closing arguments. It was so emotional, so raw.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

What is she doing?

[Narrator]

She's trying to cover her head.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

You heard Dr. Ben that.

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

That time.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

He's pounding, he's pounding, he's pounding.

[Narrator]

You didn't just pick up the bat. You swung the bat in the courtroom.

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

I needed to do that. I needed them to visualize how he would have swung the bat when he was murdering.

[Narrator]

How did the courtroom, the jury, the family, react to that?

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

I know my colleague was shocked. You had the bat and you were swinging it. I wanted to show the emotion.

[Attorney or Legal Expert]

It was dramatic.

[Defense Attorney]

I thought it was a little over the top and theatrical and kind of distracting from the actual evidence in the case.

[Attorney or Legal Expert]

The whole purpose of the closing argument had to do with. I didn't think that they had proven the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

[Narrator or Investigator]

The jury has now sat through two weeks of testimony, listening to 40 different witnesses. Now this case is in their lap. Will that jury find Todd Christopher Smith guilty of the murder of his wife?

[Katrina's Sister]

We were a nervous wreck sitting there waiting for them to announce the verdict.

[Narrator]

The trial of accused murderer Todd Smith comes to a close. Only a few hours after closing arguments, jurors reach a decision.

[Attorney or Legal Expert]

It is a time where I would definitely say, you're sitting on pins and needles when you're waiting on a verdict.

[Narrator]

The courtroom is filled with anxious family Members and people from the community. As the jury foreman delivers the long

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

awaited verdict, we the jury find the

[Detective John]

defendant Todd's guilty of firstly murder.

[Defense Attorney]

I remember I was sitting next to Todd Smith and he slumped back in his chair and didn't react beyond that.

[Katrina's Sister]

It was just the biggest relief imaginable because you're just so scared. What if something goes wrong and they have a different verdict?

[Narrator]

The verdict comes in. What was your reaction?

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

Thank God we got justice for her and her family and he does not go unpunished for taking this young life.

[Narrator or Investigator]

Sentencing day has arrived and loved ones of the victim have their opportunity to stand up and say something about the person that they are grieving.

[Family Member (possibly Katrina's mother or sister)]

It all hurt so much, Todd. And all you had to do was walk away and let Katrina live the life she deserved. But out of greed and jealousy and rage, you chose to take her precious life. He never looked at me. He kept his head down the whole time, and he smirked, just smirked. I'll never forget the smirk on his face.

[Narrator]

When it's Todd's turn to speak, he continues to maintain his innocence.

[Detective John]

It was a blessing to know matrimony, to know the beauty in her soul, her smile and her heart. Although I am not guilty of the acts the state portrayed, I harbored no ill will for the victim.

[Narrator]

Todd said that he harbored no ill will against the state. Did it matter to you at all whether or not he thought badly of your case?

[Prosecutor or Investigator]

Well, let's just say that I care about the opinion of the people because we represent the people. And so Todd's opinion about the state means nothing to me.

[Attorney or Legal Expert]

He received 55 years in the Department of Corrections for first degree murder. And Todd Smith was sentenced to an additional four years for the concealment of a homicidal death.

[Katrina's Sister]

Extremely happy with the sentencing because he definitely doesn't deserve to. To see the light of day ever again.

[Narrator]

Todd was indicted for his alleged role defrauding investors as part of that Ponzi scheme. Before he could enter a plea, the government decided to dismiss those charges.

[Narrator or Investigator]

To this day, he's housed in a state penitentiary in the state of Illinois.

[Todd's Child or Family Member]

I talked to him on the phone and I asked him to tell me what happened. I said, okay, you can either tell me the truth or I won't be talking to you anymore because I can't do this. And he's like, I'm sorry, I can't tell you anything. And. So I hung up the phone and I haven't talked to him since.

[Narrator]

While justice may have been done, the collateral damage from. From the case lingers to this day. Todd's first wife, Teresa, says she still wonders if Katrina's murder could have been prevented.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

This whole entire process, I have felt numb and just heartbroken for everyone, for Katrina and her family and my children.

[Narrator]

It's shattered a lot of lives.

[Teresa (Todd's first wife)]

So much devastation, and there's really no complete healing that can happen.

[Narrator]

Jason, walk us through your heart.

[Friend or Family Member]

Just her pain is my pain. I mean, and it just, you know, it hurts to see her in the pain.

[Katrina's Sister]

I don't want people to remember Katrina just by how she died and what happened to her. I want people to remember who she was as a person and how she lived her life and how full of life she was.

[Friend or Family Member]

I just want people to remember that she was kind and giving and loving and just do the same, you know, be like her.

[Detective John]

We should note tonight that Todd Smith filed an appeal to overturn his murder conviction, but it was denied. He continues to maintain his innocence.

[Narrator]

The earliest he'll be eligible for parole will be the year 2069, which, David, is essentially a life sentence. He would be 102 years old. That's our program for tonight. Thanks so much for watching. I'm Debra Roberts.

[Detective John]

And I'm David Muir. From all of us here at 2020 and ABC News, good night.

[Narrator]

And you can find all new broadcast episodes of 2020 Friday nights at 9 on ABC.

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